An assisted service terminal (AST) is a networked device that is operated (periodically or continuously) by a staff member who is trained to use that device. Unlike a self-service terminal, it is not designed to be operated primarily by untrained customers, but by trained members of staff.
Self-service terminals (SSTs) typically include a mechanism for automatically reporting status information (including faults and errors) to a remote management system. Such systems can be very effective for SSTs because every fault that cannot be rectified automatically by the SST eventually needs a service engineer to visit the SST to correct the fault. However, ASTs are operated by a trained user, so automated dispatch of a service engineer to correct a fault is not always appropriate.
It is among the objects of an embodiment of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for reporting status information (including faults and errors) for an AST to a remote management system.